Recruiting Young Agents — Tips From the Field

Flexibility, part-time administrative work and hands-on training lure young agents to this firm.

(Boonton, NJ, August 3, 2016) —
Los Angeles broker Mel Wilson can’t help noticing the
graying of the agents in his office. Wilson runs the
38-agent Mel Wilson & Associates, and he fears that the
aging of the agent population imperils an entire
industry.

Wilson, who’s in his early 60s himself, has tried to
spur a youth movement at his company. He has been
actively recruiting at California State University
Northridge.

During his recruiting visits to campus, Wilson has
found that few college students are eager to jump into
careers in real estate.

"It’s not their first choice," he says.

But Wilson tries to change the perception. Among his
selling points are a flexible schedule, good
compensation, and being your own boss.

Wilson stresses work-life balance, telling students
they can take a month off to backpack through Europe if
they want.

"Unlike us oldsters, they still know how to have
fun," Wilson says.

The age-old dilemma for new agents, of course, is that
rookies might not cash a commission check for months. Because many new graduates
have student loans and living expenses, a commission-only existence might not
work for them.

Wilson has an answer to that: He offers millennial
agents part-time jobs. He pays his fresh recruits $12
an hour to handle administrative tasks, set
appointments, or run social media campaigns. In that
manner, the new agents can bring in a modest income
while also learning the business.